vs.

 

 

 

-

Brad Penny (8-7, 3.20) vs. Oliver Perez (5-4, 3.24)

 

 

 

07/18/2004 1:00 AM ET

Marlins turn to Penny in finale

Florida (45-45) at Pittsburgh (41-47), 1:35 p.m. ET

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

 

 

After dropping two straight, the Marlins hope to salvage the series finale against the Pirates on Sunday afternoon with right-hander Brad Penny going after his ninth win.

 

The Marlins may be without right fielder Miguel Cabrera, who jammed his right index finger on the outfield fence while trying to make a leaping catch in the eighth inning on Jason Bay's double.

 

Cabrera is listed as day-to-day.

 

Penny makes his first start in the second half, and he looks to duplicate the success he had early in the season.

 

In the past, the Pirates have given Penny trouble, compiling a .309 batting average aginst the right-hander.

 

With Penny on the mound, the Marlins are 9-9 this season.

 

When he is on, Penny is dominant. In the team's nine wins with him on the hill, Penny is 8-0 with a 1.63 ERA. And in the nine losses, the right-hander is 0-7 with a 4.94 ERA.

 

 

 

 

Players to Watch:(Credit: Joe Frisaro & Ed Eagle / Special to MLB.com)

• Mike Lowell is 1-for-8 in the series.
  
• Cabrera was 2-for-4 on Saturday, and his two-run single gaves him a team-leading 61 RBIs.
  
• Mike Redmond is 0-for-7 in the last two games.
  
• Marlins center fielder Juan Pierre is 3-for-6 with a double and a stolen base in his career against Perez.
  

Quotable:(Credit: Joe Frisaro / Special to MLB.com)

 

"You go out there wanting to throw a shutout all the time and going nine innings. If you are not going out there with that attitude, then you should. You shouldn't depend on your hitters. You shouldn't depend on your hitters to get you out of jams or your hitters to win you ballgames. You should go out there trying to win games yourself. If you can't put that type of pressure on you, you're selling yourself short."-- Carl Pavano, on a lack of run support

 

 

 

Quick Hits:(Credit: Joe Frisaro / Special to MLB.com)

 

Josh Willingham, a catcher most of the season at Double-A Carolina, is close to making his first start behind the plate.

 

 

 

On Television:

Marlins station: PAX

Pirates station: FSN

 

On Radio:

Marlins station: Sports radio/WQAM 560 AM; WQBA 1140 AM Spanish

Pirates station: KDKA 1020 AM

 

On Internet:

MLB.TV

Gameday Audio

 

On Webcast:

DT, rferry, Cape, and Co...

 

 

 

DT's Prediction: Fish win 2-1 dammit...

 

 

 

• This thread will be locked 3 hours after the game has ended.
  

 

From Quick Hits:

 

"Josh Willingham, a catcher most of the season at Double-A Carolina, is close to making his first start behind the plate."

 

Sounds great. I hope it happens today.

All I want for Christmas is a win

Please let us win!

I say Shennanigan dies

 

Last year we won without Shennanigan

 

Shennanagin = bad luck

From Quick Hits:

 

"Josh Willingham, a catcher most of the season at Double-A Carolina, is close to making his first start behind the plate."

 

Sounds great. I hope it happens today.

462833[/snapback]

well you gotta think that the FO feels he has a chance to start and that his defense can't be that bad or else they would have left him down there

I say Shennanigan dies

 

Last year we won without Shennanigan

 

Shennanagin = bad luck

462884[/snapback]

 

:thumbdown :ban

I say Shennanigan dies

Last year we won without Shennanigan

Shennanagin = bad luck

462884[/snapback]

 

:o How could you say that in front of him?

I speak the truth

Yahoo! Sports Game Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates will try for their 10th straight win at PNC Park as they look to continue their domination over the Florida Marlins in the finale of a three-game series.

 

The Pirates, winners in 14 of their last 18 games, beat the Marlins 4-2 on Saturday for their longest winning streak at home since they made a run at the NL East title in 1978 by winning 24 in a row at Three Rivers Stadium from mid-August until late September.

 

Their recent success is impressive since they began the season losing 19 of their first 28 games at home, but are now just two games shy of .500 there.

 

``With so many young players, they were probably trying a little bit too hard to prove the critics wrong or win the admiration of the fans,'' Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said. ``But I think since the horrible start they've relaxed a lot more and gone out and played their game.''

 

Pittsburgh scored three runs in the eighth inning off Florida closer Armando Benitez, who blew just his third save in 33 chances this season. The right-hander, fresh off his All-Star appearance, had not allowed a run in his previous 11 innings -- spanning eight games.

 

The Pirates have dominated the defending world champions, winning eight of their last 11 matchups, including five in a row in Pittsburgh.

 

``We've got to figure out a way to beat these guys,'' the Marlins' Juan Pierre said.

 

Miguel Cabrera drove in both runs for Florida, which has scored only 379 runs in 90 games -- the second-fewest in the league. The right fielder injured his right hand running into the wall trying to catch a long drive in the eighth and could not bat in the ninth but hopes to return in this game.

 

Florida dropped its ninth in 13 games and slipped to .500 (45-45) two games into a key 10-game road trip.

New lineup...

 

 

 

Marlins Lineup

 

 

CF Pierre

2B Castillo

1B Easley

3B Lowell

LF Conine

C Willingham

SS Mordecai

RF Nunez

P Penny

ewwww...this lineup is stinky.....watch though...they'll score 10 runs and obliterate the competition.

yay for Willingham, but no Choi? Mordecai? bleah.

 

hasn't Easley played some SS before or am I wrong?

Pirates Lineup

 

 

C Kendall

SS J. Wilson

RF Mackowiak

1B C. Wilson

LF Bay

CF Redman

3B Stynes

2B Nunez

P Perez

I say Shennanigan dies

 

Last year we won without Shennanigan

 

Shennanagin = bad luck

462884[/snapback]

 

 

my feelings have been hurt

I dont mind the lineup

Pitching Matchup

 

 

VS.

No Choi, marlins will automatically loose.

Why isn't Kendall playing catcher for the marlins?

Why isn't Kendall playing catcher for the marlins?

462942[/snapback]

 

because he isnt a Marlin

 

:plain

just win babii

Expos got a little worse, Everrett was traded back to the White Sox for prospects

like they matter

time to play some baseball suckas

Juan Pierre leads off the ballgame for the Champs.....

 

flies out to CF, 1 gone